Standardized Procedures Important for Improving Low-Temperature Ceramic Fuel Cell Technology: From Transient to Steady State Assessment

As the stress-strain curve of standardized metal samples provides the basic details about mechanical properties of structural materials, the polarization curve or current-voltage characteristics of fuel cells are vitally important to explore the scientific mechanism of various solid oxide cells aiming at low operational temperatures (below 600 degrees C), ranging from protonic conductor ceramic cells (PCFC) to emerging Semiconductor ionic fuel cell (SIFC)/Semiconductor membrane fuel cells (SMFC). Thus far, worldwide efforts to achieve higher nominal peak power density (PPD) at a low operational temperature of over 0.1 s/cm ionic conductivity of electrolyte and super catalyst electrode is the key challenge for SIFCs. Thus, we illustrate an alternative approach to the present PPD concept and current-voltage characteristic. Case studies reveal that the holy grail of 1 W/cm(2) from journal publications is expected to be reconsidered and normalized, since partial cells may still remain in a transient state (TS) to some extent, which means that they are unable to fulfill the prerequisite of a steady state (SS) characteristic of polarization curve measurement. Depending on the testing parameters, the reported PPD value can arbitrarily exist between higher transient power density (TPD) and lower stable power density (SPD). Herein, a standardized procedure has been proposed by modifying a quasi-steady state (QSS) characterization based on stabilized cell and time-prolonged measurements of common I-V plots. The present study indicates, when compared with steady state value, that QSS power density itself still provides a better approximation for the real performance of fuel cells, and concurrently recalls a novel paradigm transformation from a transient to steady state perspective in the oxide solid fuel cell community.

Automated summary

The importance of exploring the scientific mechanism of solid oxide cells at low operating temperatures, such as SIFC and SMFC, and the challenges faced in achieving higher nominal peak power density are highlighted in this study. By modifying the QSS characterization testing process, it was found that QSS power density provides a better approximation for the real performance of fuel cells.